1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for storing and dispensing condoms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The number of AIDS cases today has reached epidemic proportions. With the ever increasing number of AIDS cases and the rising rate of other sexually transmitted diseases, there is a great need for an inexpensive, simple, and discrete means for storing and dispensing free condoms for use by the public. Storage devices for condoms are known in the art. Various inventions provide for the storage of several condoms for individual use. However, none of these devices provide means for storing and dispensing the condoms to the public with the ease and simplicity of the present invention. Packet dispensers are also generally known to the public, but none of the dispensers are designed specifically for condoms, nor do they provide designs which would allow for the quick and simple loading of a number of condoms for use by the public.
U.S. Pat. No. 691,990, issued to Alfred N. Warren on Jan. 28, 1902 discloses a Carton Spice Cabinet which includes a series of vertically arranged compartments, a horizontal base, and a series of rearwardly projecting extensions. Each vertically arranged compartment includes a vertical slot extending along the entire its length and an aperture at the lower ends of the vertically arranged compartments. The cabinet of the '990 patent, however, fails to provide a slanted dispensing floor which facilitates removal of condoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,106,218, issued to Alfred J. Homburg on Aug. 4, 1914, discloses a Match Safe comprising a receptacle for receiving matches and a restricted slot that allows only one match to be dispensed at a time. A similar design for a condom dispenser would require that a restricted slot be formed to allow only condoms of a specific size and shape to be dispensed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,008,875, issued to Thomas H. Peterson et al. on Jul. 7, 1935, discloses a Container for Prophylactic Rubbers comprising an outer casing with separate compartments. The invention allows for storage of condoms but does not provide a convenient means for dispensing the condoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,211,349, issued to Earl D. Nye on Aug. 13, 1940, discloses a Bread Dispenser comprising a receptacle like body, an opening through which the articles are introduced, an outlet, and a mechanical ejector for expelling the articles through the outlet. The present invention's design removes the need for a mechanical ejector.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,677, issued to Sigmund Berlant on Jun. 5, 1956, discloses a Container For Developing Tanks. The device of the '677 patent includes a container partitioned into compartments for receiving various film developing solutions, but is not designed for the dispensing of condoms or similar objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,361, issued to Hirotomo Fugiwara on Nov. 16, 1971, discloses a Casing For A Tape Cartridge which includes a rectangular casing with a hinged cover. The cover is hinged to the case body by means of a pair of pins provided at the opposite ends of the cover near one edge thereof within pin holes provided on the case body. The invention of the 361' patent, however, fails to provide a dispensing slot through which condoms may be dispensed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,809, issued to Richard W. Klein, Sr. on Dec. 23, 1975 discloses a Film Cartridge Carrier which includes an inner liner, a cover of flexible material, and a strap. The carrier of the 809' patent, however, fails to provide a slanted bottom wall that facilities the dispensing of condoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,325 issued to Thomas D. Pawlowski on Oct. 9, 1979 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,044, issued to David I. Flower et al. on Sep. 20, 1983 both disclose dispenser boxes which includes a front panel, a corresponding rear panel, a top panel, a corresponding bottom panel, a pair of side panel, and an opening disposed at the bottom of the front panel. The inventions of the '325 patent and the '044 patent, however, fail to provide a dispenser with a hinged top or slanted bottom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,526, issued to Orison W. Stone on May 10, 1983 discloses a wall-mounted paperboard container for dispensing stacked articles which includes a mouth opening in a lower portion of a front wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,962, issued to Ronald R. Burns et al. on Apr. 21, 1987 discloses a Bag Dispensing Carton comprising a rectangular bottom tray and a rectangular top cover. The invention does not allow convenient loading from the top with a separate opening for dispensing from the bottom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,022, issued to Dennis Oldorf on Aug. 30, 1988, discloses a Packet Dispenser comprising a housing with a plurality of vertically disposed magazines inserted within the housing. The loading of condoms into the Packet Dispenser would require that each magazine be loaded with condoms as opposed to simply loading a single cavity as with the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,820, issued to Thomas G. Kearney on Feb. 21, 1989, discloses a Portable Receptacle comprising a oval shaped casing closed on one end for carrying condoms. The Portable Receptacle provides a means for storing condoms but does not provide a means for dispensing condoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,841, issued to Charles R. McBeth on Jun. 2, 1992, discloses a Condom Keeper and Kit comprising a receptacle portion with an opening to receive condoms and a cover portion adapted to cover the opening after a condom is received. The Condom Keeper and Kit requires that a plurality of condoms be kept in a separate storage container and then transferred to its receptacle portion. The present invention eliminates this cumbersome arrangement with a simple design which allows storing and dispensing of the condoms.
Swiss Patent Document No. 167,465, published May 16, 1934, discloses a dispenser having a dispenser slot at the bottom end of a front wall, and a floor. The floor has a first slanted section extending from the rear of the dispenser and second slated section extending from the first slanted section to terminate at the dispenser slot.
Other patents, cited by the Examiner in the Office Action associated with the parent application of this continuation-in-part, but not relied upon by the Examiner, include U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,147, issued to Joe H. Jenkins et al. on Dec. 3, 1957 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,250, issued to Billy Cheng on Jan. 5, 1993.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.